/ ˈdɪsəplɪn; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
1.
[ U ] the practice of training people to obey rules and orders and punishing them if they do not; the controlled behaviour or situation that results from this training :
The school has a reputation for high standards of discipline.
Strict discipline is imposed on army recruits.
She keeps good discipline in class.
2.
[ C ] a method of training your mind or body or of controlling your behaviour; an area of activity where this is necessary :
Yoga is a good discipline for learning to relax.
3.
[ U ] the ability to control your behaviour or the way you live, work, etc. :
He'll never get anywhere working for himself—he's got no discipline.
—see also self-discipline
4.
[ C ] an area of knowledge; a subject that people study or are taught, especially in a university
■ verb
1.
[ vn ] discipline sb (for sth) to punish sb for sth they have done :
The officers were disciplined for using racist language.
2.
[ vn ] to train sb, especially a child, to obey particular rules and control the way they behave :
a guide to the best ways of disciplining your child
3.
discipline yourself to control the way you behave and make yourself do things that you believe you should do :
[ vn to inf ]
He disciplined himself to exercise at least three times a week.
[ vn ]
Dieting is a matter of disciplining yourself.
► dis·cip·lined adjective :
a disciplined army / team
a disciplined approach to work
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (in the sense mortification by punishing oneself ): via Old French from Latin disciplina instruction, knowledge, from discipulus learner, from discere learn.